On this day in 2011, General Muammar al-Gaddafi was captured and killed in Sirte

On this day in 2011, Muammar Gadhafi, the longest-serving leader in Africa and the Arab world, was captured and killed by rebel forces near his hometown of Sirte.

After more than 40 years in power, Gadhafi saw his regime begin to unravel in February 2011, when anti-government protests broke out in Libya following the uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia earlier that year. Gadhafi vowed to crush the revolt and ordered a violent crackdown against the demonstrators. However, by August, rebel forces, with assistance from NATO, had gained control of Tripoli and established a transitional government. Gadhafi went into hiding, but on October 20, 2011, he was captured and shot by rebel forces.